Etymology: < Anglo-Norman compaingnun, cumpainun, companioun, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French compagnon, compaignon, Old French, Middle French compaingnon (French compagnon ) person who habitually or often spends time with another (c1100), (of inanimate objects) peer, equal (c1170), fellow soldier (beginning of the 13th cent.), person who accompanies another on a particular occasion (c1240 or earlier; first half of the 15th cent. with reference to a journey), accomplice (c1275 or earlier), member of a mercantile society, guild, or other professional association, person who has served an apprenticeship in a craft or trade and is now working for a master (both 14th cent.), person, fellow (14th cent.; now usually petit compagnon ), member of an order of knighthood (a1376 or earlier in Anglo-Norman, originally in compaignon del gartre Companion of the Order of the Garter), person with whom one eats or drinks regularly (1500 in the passage translated in quot. ?1505 at sense 1c, or earlier), in Anglo-Norman and Law French also (in legal contexts) partner, colleague, associate (1368 or earlier), variant (originally the oblique case form) of Anglo-Norman cumpaing , Anglo-Norman and Old French cumpain , Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French compain (French copain , now in sense ‘mate, pal’) < post-classical Latin companion- , companio (c800 in the Lex Salica, in plural companiones ) < classical Latin com- com- prefix + pānis bread (see pain n.²) + -ō (see -oon suffix), probably after an unattested Germanic compound formed similarly to Gothic gahlaiba ( < ga- y- prefix + hlaib loaf n.¹ + a noun-forming suffix), Old High German gileibo ( < gi- y- prefix + leip loaf n.¹ + a noun-forming suffix), both in sense ‘messmate, person with whom one habitually eats meals’. Compare Old Occitan companhon , Catalan companyó (14th cent.), Spanish compañón (first half of the 13th cent.; now only in plural in sense ‘testicles’), Italian compagnone (last quarter of the 12th cent. as †conpagnone ); also Old Occitan companh , Spanish †compaño (late 13th cent.), Italian compagno (1211). Compare also the form conpagn , an early Romance vernacular reflex of the post-classical Latin noun (9th cent. in the Pariser Gespräche, an Old High German-Latin bilingual phrasebook, glossing Old High German gueselle , variant of gisello companion: see Gesellschaft n.). With post-classical Latin companio compare also post-classical Latin conpanium company, body of warriors (c800 in the Lex Salica; also companium ; compare classical Latin contubernium (see contubernial adj.), convīvium convive n.¹, etc.).In companion-in-arms n. at sense 1d after Middle French compaignon en armes (last quarter of the 14th cent. in the passage translated in quot. 1525); compare Middle French, French compagnon d'armes (late 14th cent.).

Etymology: Probably < Dutch †kompanje (1681; 1517 as †campaenge; now kampanje) elevated structure at the rear of a ship, in early use often as the cabin of the helmsman (1517), quarterdeck (1681), with folk-etymological alteration after companion n.¹ Dutch kampanje is probably < Italian †compagna pantry (although this is apparently not securely attested until later than the Dutch noun: 1607 or earlier) < post-classical Latin compagna , compaigna provisions collectively (1219–1441 in Italian sources chiefly from Genoa), room on a ship where the provisions are kept, pantry (1441), and perhaps ultimately < classical Latin com- with (see com- prefix) + pānis bread (see pain n.²); compare companage n. Compare Middle French compaignage provisions (1570), French compagne pantry on a galley (1622). Compare Middle Low German compannie , compagnie , Old Swedish komppanyndh (with suffixed definite article; Swedish †companije , now kampanj ), and Danish kampagne (mid 18th cent.; also †kampan , †kompanni ), apparently all < Dutch. In sense 2 partly short for companion ladder n., and partly short for companion stairs n.

Etymology: < companion n.¹ Compare earlier company v., accompany v.With sense 2 compare French compagnonner to be well acquainted with, to be on familiar terms with (a person) (1611 in Cotgrave in an apparently isolated attestation, subsequently from 1884).